Second Chances
by DawnStar86
Summary: Tired of constant defeat, Hacker decides it's time to take down the kids once and for all. Unfortunately, he gets himself in a bigger mess than he expected.
1. Chapter 1

The Hacker looked over the plans from his most recent failure. Time after time after time he was met by defeat, courtesy of those irritating Earth brats, and this was driving the Hacker to the brink of insanity. What was he doing wrong? Why... HOW could his schemes be foiled by the likes of three children and a cyber turkey?!

"There is no logical explaination!" he yelled out loud, replying to his thoughts. It burned all thoughout his mind. He was an evil genius... despite his genius though, he could not seize Motherboard's throne. Maybe... perhaps, he was taking the wrong approach to this. He brought his head down to his hand in thought.

"If the children are the ones getting in my way... then I should aim my attacks at them... for now." the wheels in the Hacker's head began to turn.

"Once the children are out of the way, then all of Cyberchase will have already been defeated! With their precious 'defenders' gone, they'll simply give up!" the Hacker said to himself, a grin spreading across his face. Perhaps it was time to show the children how truly ruthless he was. Sure, the children had seen his brilliance. They had seen the spawn of his great mind unfold through plots and plans. However, they had not seen just how evil he was. The Hacker eagerly drew out a piece of paper and began on the framework of his newest... and perhaps most devious plan yet.

Meanwhile, at Control Central, the newest member of the 'family' was getting aqquainted with Motherboard's circuitry.

"Wow... well, one thing's for sure, you need ALOT of work! Some of these parts look like they haven't been replaced in eons." the girl said, pulling herself off of the ground. She pulled a hand up to her chin in thought.

"Well, Leia, what kinds of parts?" asked Digit who stood next to her. Leia chuckled to herself.

"Well... man, almost all the tiniest parts! Rust all over the place... looks like Motherboard got swept away in a flood or something!" she said. Digit looked down at one of the panels, noticing bits of rust all about.

"Well... there was that time with the cryoxide..." he mumbled. Leia patted him on the sholder and looked up at Motherboard's screen.

"You're the ruler of Cyberspace though! I'm not gonna let you go around looking like that! Nah-ah... not on MY shift!" she said proudly. Motheboard smiled warmly.

"Thank you very much for taking this position, Leia. You have a very important and very arduous task ahead of you." she said.

"Oh, trust me! I know! Once I heard that you needed a tech, I was ready for the job! I want to do anything I can to help yall." Leia replied. She pulled a notepad out and began writing down various parts that were needed. Digit pulled off a panel and inspected it as well, doing what he could to help.

"Hey, Digit..." Leia asked. Digit raised his head, hitting his head on Motherboard's circuitry.

"Digit! Are you okay?" Motherboard asked as Digit crawled out from the space. He shook his head quickly and looked up at Motherboard.

"I'm fine. I'm just not all here today." he replied. Leia laughed at his excuse.

"Digit... I got a question. Who was the last technician for Motherboard? You know... the last one to work EXCLUSIVELY on her?" she asked the bird. Digit looked off to the side, wishing he had never heard the question. He didn't say anything. Leia cocked her head off the the side and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey... did 'ya hear me?" she asked. Digit sighed and nodded. He looked up at Motherboard, who had a look on her face... one that Leia couldn't quite comprehend.

"Oh... Hacker, right?" she said quietly. Motherboard simply replied with a nod. Leia scratched the back of her head. She had her own opinion about the Hacker. She was sure though that no one here would care to hear it.

"Sorry... um, I didn't know. I mean, well I knew... I guess it just didn't kick in til..." she got out with a forced smile. She knew she hit a nerve with that. Putting up her notepad, she figured it best that she leave to get the parts. It was definately feeling awkward in there.

"Hey, I'm gonna go to the hardware store and get the parts I have listed so far. It's sure to keep me busy for the next few days." she said towards Digit. Digit shook off the fog that settled over his mind and nodded with a smile.

"Sure. The Cyber Coop is right out in the garage. The keys should be in there." he said. Leia hurried off to the garage to gather the tools and parts.

"Man... I'll make sure to avoid anything with the word 'Hacker' from now on..." she said to herself as she climbed into the small craft. The Hacker... a very strange case that extremely interested her. After all, it's not eveyday that you have the right hand man of the ruler of Cyberspace betray his maker, go into exile and come back to nearly destroy the said ruler. It sounded like something out of a classic novel... it was a shame that every bit of it was real. What could drive a man to do that? Was there a glitch somewhere during his creation? What could lead someone to that level of betrayal? Of course, deep inside Leia thought... KNEW that the Hacker couldn't truly be evil. No one could BE evil. There was good in everyone... right? Leia was quite sure that deep inside the Hacker, somewhere, was his good side begging to be released from it's cage. She definately was not prepared for the events that were soon to unfold. 


	2. Chapter 2

Hacker flipped through some of the books he had in his rather large library. Some of the books were one of a kind, stolen out of museums and from various people. What was he looking for? A rumor... something he had heard of long ago. He had been up nearly 24 hours, trying to find the information he sought. He rubbed his eyes, trying to stay awake, but he could feel them falling prey to gravity. He laid his head down on the desk, wanting so desperately to sleep. 

"One more book. Then that's it... I have to get some sleep." he spoke to himself. He rose from his desk and walked over to the bookshelf, fingering the books slowly. Soon he came across a book, bound by tattered black leather. The binding had no title, but neither did most of the books. He pulled out the book and carried it slowly over to the desk. With a long sigh, he plopped down in the chair and began skimming through the book. Soon he came across a chapter that sounded familiar.

"The History of Xelophia... hmmm... sounds interesting." he muttered. He read bits here and there, trying to find something that poked out at him.

"Let's seeeeeee... this cybersite has been abandoned for eons due to the war that errupted after the discovery... of the Demon's Heart." Hacker read aloud. This definately pricked his interest. He brought a hand to his chin and continued reading.

"According to evidence found on the site, the war occured after a warrior recieved possesion of the Demon Heart, a blood red crystal that gave the possesor access to an unlimited force. This 'force' came in the form of a shape shifting 'shadow creature', obeying every command of it's master. Of course, there was a price that must be paid. The possesor becomes the possesed! The shadow creatures abides in the being, taking control of their body and will. There is not much information on what occured during this war, since it happened so many, many centuries before any type of modern technology came about, but this is what I've concluded. The said warrior recieved the Demon Heart and summoned forth the shadow creature. The people of Xelophia were completely defenseless to his attacks, due to the fact that they were a peace-loving nation. Even today, there are statues of people, frozen in mid-state, indicating that chaos was abound." Hacker was grinning at what he had read so far. Unlimited power was oh so very tempting...

"The warrior continued his reign until one day, another being with what appeared to be angelic wings arrived in Xelophia. He alone came before the warrior and challenged him. No one knew where the creature came from, it seems. After a long, arduous battle the warrior fell to the hands of the 'angel' and the Demon's Heart was taken by the being for safe keeping. Since then the site has been abandoned, as it seems that the few survivors of the nation migrated to other parts of the site." Hacker finished. He closed the book. He had read enough. He layed his head down on the book, thinking.

"Unlimited power..." he muttered to himself. Could the Demon Heart still be at the site? There was a chance... after all, it wasn't like some angel came from Heaven and carried away, now was it? That was foolish talk... but of course, 'shadow creatures' didn't sound very believeable either. Still... there was a possiblilty. And for the Hacker, a 'maybe' was far better than a 'no'. There was also the 'possesion' issue. Was it true that the person REALLY became possesed by the creature? Maybe it wasn't... after all, a person will go mad when they're power hungry. Surely that had to be it. Some kook got hold of unlimited power, went crazy, killed a whole nation and tried to say he was possesed. Yeah right... now there was an excuse.He made up his mind... tomorrow, he would set out for Xelophia. Now though... he really needed a good nights sleep.

The following day at Control Central, Leia was getting introduced to the kids, Matt, Jackie and Inez. Of course, Leia also saw it as an opportunity to get extras workers for her large task.

"Well... since you guys are here, why don't you... clean up a bit?" she said, pulling out a broom from behind her back and poking it in Jackie's direction. Jackie shook her head.

"No way... I can't sweep right now! I just got my hair did... I don't want it getting dirty." she replied with a shake of her head. Leia frowned and rolled her eyes.

"Besides, we still have more questions for you." Inez said, adjusting her glasses. Leia raised an eyebrown and leaned on the broom.

"Like... what?" she asked.

"Where exactly are you from? Not to be rude, but we haven't even seen you before and now you're here as Motherboard's personal technician." she asked. Matt and Jackie nodded in agreement. Leia laughed at that.

"Oh, so now it's three-on-one, huh? Darn no good pesty kids..." she carried on. Dropping the broom, she gave a stretch and sighed.

"Okay, so here's my story... and I can get the doc and Digit to back me up on this one! Ya' see, about... I don't know, six months ago, I opened my eyes to what seemed like the first time in my life. I was here, at Control Central, somewhere in a back room. There next to me was the doctor. I had no clue how I got there... nor did I have any clue about who I was! I couldn't remember anything. Well, I mean... I remember basic stuff like talking, walking and, ya' know, bodily functions... but my mind seemed blank!" she explained and the kids listened intently.

"Dr. Marbles then explained that he happened to pass by my seemingly lifeless body on a random cybersite as he was running some errands. After confirming that I was still alive, he brought me back here and took care of me until I woke up. Apparently, I must've had a nasty fall or something, because I couldn't remember anything. Since I didn't have a home to go to, Dr. Marbles said I could stay here if I would help out around the place. I didn't know how to help though, so I stayed in the back, studying all of Motherboard's manuals ans such, basically setting myself to one day be her technician. Now here I am!" she said proudly. The kids smiled, making Leia presume that they believed her.

"Sounds staight to me!" Matt said.

"Good, because if I revealed my true identity, I might have to finish yall off." Leia said, again pointing her broom at Jackie. Inez laughed and took the broom from her.

"I suppose I'll get started on the sweeping." she said and busied herself in doing so. Everyone carried on with their task. Leia replaced bits and pieces on Motherboard, Inez mopped, Matt moved boxes and such around and Jackie... carefully avoided all traces of dust.


	3. Chapter 3

The Grim Wreaker lowered slowly onto the rocky terrain of Xelophia. The land around the city had no plant life it seemed, except for the moss that drew among the rocks. The sky was of a blackish tint with red clouds seemingly smeared across it like a canvas. The site itself seemed to be dead. Hacker rose from his seat at the console of the Wreaker, getting ready to explore the city for some hint or clue as to the Demon Heart's whereabouts.

"Buzz! Delete! Get out here this instant!" he yelled, seeing that the duncebuckets were nowhere in sight. After a few moments of silence, aside from the Hacker mumbling under his breath, he stormed off to their most likely location- the kitchen.

"Buzzie! You ate all of the doughnuts!" Delete cried, shaking the empty box upside down as the crumbs fell to the floor. Buzz shrugged at that.

"It's not my fault you didn't get to them in time!" he replied. Before Delete could say anything in return, Hacker entered the room, giving them a fierce glare.

"Buzz... Delete... I told you to be ready and waiting by the door! We're already at Xelophia and you know bumbling bafoons are eating DOUGHNUTS!" the borg yelled in contempt. Buzz and Delete forced a smile and got up from their seats.

"Um... we're... ready, boss!" Delete said through his smile. Hacker simply shook his head and motioned for them to follow. Hacker released the ramp on the Grim Wreaker and walked down it, looking behind him to make sure that Buzz and Delete were still following. Buzz's curiosity got the best of him, though.

"Uh, Boss... what exactly are we here for?" he asked as they stepped onto the soil. Delete nodded.

"Yeah, boss! This place looks kinda empty." he said. Hacker turned to reply.

"We're here, my friends, to find a crystal known as the Demon Heart. No one knows where it is... but my guess is that it's in this city somewhere, where the great war took place." he said, pointing to the city whose outskirts were just yards away. Calling it a city seemed was an injustice, for it was simply the remains of a city. There was no activity that they could see. No one seemed to have lived there... well, since forever.

"You mean... that creepy looking city?" Delete said. Hacker rolled his eyes.

"Yes, that 'creepy looking' city... now c'mon!" he said and began walking towards the stone rubble that used to be streets. Buzz and Delete slowly followed, sticking close to one another. As Hacker made his way onto the rubble, he was met by what seemed to be an invisible wall, repelling him back a few inches.

"Hmph. A barrier. It seems someone has been trying to keep this place hidden." Hacker said to himself. Buzz and Delete came to his side, making sure he wasn't hurt. Delete stuck his hand out towards the area, also repelling it back.

"Hey! Boss, what's that?" Delete asked. Hacker mumbled something and walked back to the Wreaker, causing Buzz and Delete to follow. At the foot of the ramp, Hacker turned towards them.

"Wait here. I'll be right back." he said. The two didn't reply. They knew if they cried to Hacker about being there alone then they would just be yelled at and stuck in the same situation. Sometimes it was just better for them to keep their mouths closed. Hacker walked up the ramp and took his place at the console of the Wreaker.

"Nobody can keep out the Hacker..." he laughed to himself as he pushed a few buttons here and there.

"Let's see... the barrier's frequency is 92.4... set the beam at negative 92.4 and..." he pressed a button, causing a laser cannon to emerge from the Wreaker. Hacker pressed another button and the cannon shot a beam of energy at the area of the barrier. With a few flashes of purple light on what appeared to be the barrier, a sounds was heard, like that of shattering glass. Hacker laughed to himself and withdrew the cannon, leaving the console once again to make his way outside.

"Boss! What happened?" Buzz asked the borg. Hacker chuckled as he proceeded past Buzz and Delete.

"Oh nothing... just a little glass cracking is all." he said. The two followed him once again as they made their way back to the city. As they approached the area that contained the barrier, Delete held up his arms defensively, as though to protect him if the barrier were still there. To his relief, he was not met by an invisible wall. Walking a little further, they came to what seemed to be the gateway into the city- a large stone bridge with a suprisingly clean lake underneath it. The lake appeared to be created by a large stream that flowed down the center of the city. As they got half onto the bridge, Hacker stopped in his tracks. Buzz and Delete stopped as well, thinking that maybe there was another barrier.

"Something feels... strange." Hacker said to himself. It felt as though someone had ripped a hole in his stomach, almost like a deep sense of dread. Buzz and Delete came to his side and were instantly hit by the same unexplainable feeling. Delete got closer to Hacker as he wrapped his arms around himself.

"What's wrong? Why does it feel so weird here?" he innocently asked. Hacker honestly didn't a clue. It his mind, or somewhere deeper maybe... it seemed that something or someone was trying to prevent them from going further, trying to warn them perhaps. Hacker knew that the Demon Heart had to be here. There was simply too much trying to stop him from advancing. Fighting the unnatural feeling that had overcome him, he hesitantly continued forward. Buzz and Delete, ever the loyal croonies they were, followed close by.

Back at Control Central, Leia was finishing up some replacements on all of Motherboard's external wiring. The children were mostly finished with the task they assigned themselves when an alarm went off. They stopped in their places and ran up to Motherboard, ready for whatever threat there was.

"Barrier... on Xelophia... destroyed. No one can be allowed... access to the city. Stop them." she said, getting out the little bits that she was capable of.

"Xelophia? Where's that?" Matt asked, taking a step further.

"Xelophia is a cybersite located in a rather desolate area. It was abandoned eons ago due to an ancient artifact known as the Demon Heart." Dr Marbles said as he walked into the room. Leia crossed her arms and joined the group of kids.

"Um... you realize I'm coming with you guys, right?" she said, leaning towards them. Digit flew in and shook his head in protest.

"You need to stay here with Motherboard. We can handle everything." he said.Leia frowned at this. She hated offering her help and then being met with a 'no'.

"Actually, it might be best if she goes as well. If somone has indeed penetrated the barrier, it would be best that there are plenty of people to look around the city for the intruders." Dr Marbles interuppted. Leia nodded and smiled.

"See? Me and the doc are on the same wavelenght." she said. A portal appeared before the five, leading to the cybersite. The kids jumped in first, followed by Digit. Leia stopped just before entering, turning towards the doctor.

"Why was there a barrier in the first place, Doc?" she asked. He shook his head and turned around.

"It's not of your concern. You must simply stop whoever has entered the city." he replied harshly. Leia grumbled and leapt through the portal. Marbles... he could be a real jerk sometimes. Upon exiting, she landed on her feet, but quickly feel to her knees. Raising herself up, she noticed the kids were already on their feet and looking around.

"Man... I hope I never have to do that again." she said. Jackie laughed in response.

"You get used to it after awhile." she said. Leia shrugged and looked around them. They had landed not far away from the Wreaker... which led them to the conclusion that Hacker was the one who broke the barrier.

"I shouldv'e known it was him." Digit said as they all walked towards the ship. Leia scratched her head, for she had never see the Wreaker before.

"Whoever they are, that is one awesome ship!" she said. Her reply was met by several awkward stares.

"That the Grim Wreaker, Hacker's ship. If that's here, then he can't be far off." Inez said.

"Oh... okay, sorry. Still though..." she spoke under her breath, "it IS pretty sweet." The crew made their way towards the giant stone bridge that crossed over the lake, gazing at the remains of the city before. No one spoke during the short walk... probably due to the sense of fear that the city seemed to strike into them. At the foot of the bridge, the five of the paused for a moment, each of them contemplating whether or not go forth... well, everyone except Leia. She soon marched forward, turning around to face the kids and Digit.

"C'mon... you're not scared, are ya'?" 


	4. Chapter 4

Hacker carefully continued forward, keeping his eyes focused ahead of them. The had crossed the bridge and were now walking on the right side of the stream that flowed down the center of the city. What appeared to be blue fireflies silently flew about, ignoring the visitors of the city. Most of the buildings were partly destroyed; a few were mostly intact. Ahead of them, at the end of the city, lied a huge castle with it's back against a mountain range. The castle was cylinder in shape, with a few watchtowers sprouted about. As the crew pressed on, they encountered something horrific.

"B-boss! What is that?" Delete said as his eyes fell upon a black, rocky statue of what seemed to be a man on his knees, his arms raised above him as though he was trying to defend himself. Hacker stopped and looked about, noticing several statues that were around. He recalled what he read in the book regarding these things.

"They are what remains of the people that tried to defeat the wielder of the Demon Heart..." he said almost in a whisper. Delete clung to Hacker's cape in fear. Buzz drew in closer and gulped.

"Are you sure it's a good idea for us to be here?" Buzz said, ignoring that his question was very likely to anger the Hacker. He didn't reply though... he just stood and thought for a moment. In his gut, something struck so hard... the dread, the fear. Even he was chilled at the sight of the many statues around them, all cowering in fear, trying to escape from an unknown enemy. If Hacker got the Demon Heart... then he'd witness how those staues were made. They would look up at him in fear, just as they were now. Part of him lusted for that, the power to strike fear into his adversaries, the power that would have people begging for mercy. Yet... there was another part of him that fought those thoughts. Perhaps it was the remains of his former self, his younger being. So long ago, he had a heart of compassion... he was so good, just thinking about it made him quesy. Hacker quickly shook those thoughts as Delete tugged at his cape.

"Are you okay?" he got out, looking up at Hacker with concern. Hacker nodded and continued forward, not saying a word. It was now or never. He was running out of plans, running out of options, and running out of time. Buzz and Delete simply followed, dreading what was to come.

The kids and Digit walked carefully across the bridge, looking about in wonder at the great city that lied before them. As they too reached halfway across the bridge, the same unexplainable sense overcame them that had attacked their enemies. They all stopped in their places, silent, and shaking.

"There's something... very bad about this place." Leia quietly said. There wasn't a response from anyone. Jackie squated on the ground, bringing her head down to her knees.

"I don't want to be here guys..." she said. Matt gave a long sigh and nodded.

"I know what you mean." he said. Digit went over the Jackie, putting a wing on her shoulder to comfort her. Inez looked forward at the remains of the city before them, trying to analyze the situation to the most that she was capable of. Leia shook her head.

"We have to go forward. Motherboard is counting on us. I'm sure if she could sprout legs, she'd be right by our side. Since she can't though, we're here for her." she said. No one replied. Without waiting any longer, Leia began walking, waving at the kids.

"I'm going. You guys can leave if you want." she said, irritated by their delay. Jackie rose, jogging to catch up with her.

"No, we're in this together." she said. Matt, Digit and Inez followed their lead, not wanting to abandon their friends. They reached the end of the bridge and soon caught sight of Hacker, Buzz and Delete a good ways ahead of them.

"We have GOT to hurry if we're gonna catch up to them!" Matt said. Everyone agreed and conitued forward quickening their pace. They couldn't help but slow down though as they drew farther and farther into the city, marveling at the destroyed buildings and the giant castle that loomed ahead. As they approached the area that contained the statues, they paused once again.

"Are those..." Digit trailed off, scared to ask the question for fear of what the answer might be. Leia sighed and continued slowly, ignoring what her mind was screaming at her.

"Just... don't look at them. Let's concentrate on Hacker and get this over with." she said, trying to encourage them. Without a response, the rest of the kids and Digit followed, trying their hardest not to peer at the images around them. They could feel that God-awful fear setting in them once again, their minds and souls crying out to them, begging them to leave. They had a job to do though... Motherboard was depending on them and if they stopped now, then who knows what Hacker might accomplish.

Further ahead, Hacker froze in his tracks, causing Buzz and Delete to bump into him.

"Did either of you see that?" Hacker asked as he peered over to his right. Buzz and Delete followed his gaze, trying to see whatever Hacker saw.

"Nope, Boss. We didn't see a thing... did you, Deedee?" Buzz asked his friend. Delete shook his head. Hacker rubbed his eyes and continued forward.

"I should've gotten a better night's sleep..." he muttered. Buzz and Delete again looked to their right and shrugged. They followed their leader, careful not to get too far behind. Again though, Hacker paused, spying a black figure darting among the buildings on the right.

"Alright, come out!" he yelled out in the figures direction. No one emerged though.

"Um, boss... are you okay?" Buzz asked. Hacker nodded and clenched his fists.

"I am perfectly fine! Someone is following us..." he said looking towards the buildings. Again, another figure moved quickly, causing Delete to jump.

"I saw it! I saw the... thingy!" he shouted. Hacker was now furious that someone was trailing them.

"I said come out this instant!" he yelled into the darkness of the alleys. No response other than his echo. Behind him, Buzz turned his head as he spotted another figure, this time on the other side of the stream.

"There's someone over there too!" he said, pointing in the figures direction. Hacker turned to see it, but no one was there. Delete closed in on Hacker.

"What if... it's not a person." he almost whispered. Buzz looked at Delete fearfully, knowing what he meant. Hacker knew very much what he was talking about. He was a borg that had conquered sites and for a brief moment had conquered Cyberspace, fearing no man that got in his way. Ghost, however, were another story. Hacker blocked out every logical thought in his mind, turning back in the direction of the castle, not saying a word. Buzz and Delete looked at each other, contemplating if they should follow. Hacker looked back at them, noticing that he hadn't heard the sound of their boots hitting the rubble of the streets.

"Are you duncebuckets coming or what?" he asked with a scowl. Before they could respond, he looked up from them and noticed the kids and Digit not far behind.

"No! How did those blasted brats find out I was here?" he questioned himself. Delete scratched his head and shrugged.

"I don't know boss. Maybe Motherboard knew about this place." he said, suprising the Hacker by his logical answer.

"Yeah, I bet she knows about the Demon thingy." Buzz responded. After a moment's thought, Hacker motioned for them to follow.

"There's not much they can do to stop us. C'mon..." he said as he continued. Buzz and Delete cautiously followed, trying their hardest to ignore the figures that darted to and fro. Soon after, they approached the castle, which was a sight to behold. The stream that flowed down the city was created by a waterfall that the castle was built around. The castle was a cylinder shape with a portion cut out of the front, giving sight to the waterfall. Along the back of the castle was a small moutain range, probably where the waterfall originated from. As they came closer, the sound of crashing water filled their ears. On either side of the stream was a set of stairs, connected by a small bridge that was over the stream. The bridge in turn was connected to the castle with doors on both sides of the bridge. They stopped for a moment, gazing up at the marvel before them. It was obvious that the castle was at one time a beautiful structure. Now, parts of the building has fallen off, perhaps in the war that tore the small nation apart. The castle was barren and lifeless looking from the outside; the same probably held true for the inside. The blue fireflies danced along the stream, ignorant of the dead beast that lied before them. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Hacker began to climb the stairs leading up to the bridge. Buzz and Delete followed, still admiring the beauty of the waterfall. Once Hacker got onto the bridge, he stepped out onto the middle, now standing almost face to face with the waterfall. The crashing deafened any other sounds that migth have been made. There, before the waterfall, he could feel the fear that he supressed reemerging. He walked over to the edge of the bridge, resting his arms on the walls of it. Buzz and Delete attempted to say something, but their words weren't audible due to the roaring water. They simply walked to their boss' side, now being met with the same force that was attacking Hacker. One last warning, it seemed. The battle that raged in his mind was exhausting, leaving Hacker at a lost for words. This was the last chance he had to leave, something told him. A muted voice seemed to echo through his every thought. Beyond here there was no hope. No chance for escape. He could feel his body weakening, collapsing to the fear that held him by his throat. He leaned all his weight onto his arms as he tried to fight off the force that had overcome him. Confusion fell over him... his yearning for power being clashed with every logical answer to the events that were occuring. 'Run' said one side... 'stay' said another. He lowered his head into his arms, trying to make sense of the senseless. Buzz and Delete had already fallen victim to voice in their heads. Ignoring their leader, they simply sat on the bridge in silence, lost in the muddle that entrapped them. Hacker turned to look at them. There was no way they would go any farther, Hacker knew. This was as far as their will would allow them to go. Giving a long sigh and pushing back every thought, every musing, every emotion in his mind, he walked past the two henchmen and slowly walked towards one of the door.

"Buzz... Delete... you can leave now. I don't need you anymore." he said almost trance-like. They didn't respond. They just sat, giving into the invisible warnings that assaulted them. Hacker clenched his fists as he approached the door. This was it. He knew the Demon Heart was here, without a shadow of a doubt. With what seemed like every ounce of strenght in him, he pushed open the rusted door. Staring in the darkness that was occasionally lit by the blue fireflies, he gave one last sigh... and went forward. 


	5. Chapter 5

The kids and Digit had made their way to through over half of the city when they came across the silent residents of the lost city.

"Whoa... guys, I think I saw someone over there." Jackie said turning to her left as she spied one of the beings. Everyone paused in their places, peering in the same direction.

"I'm glad you saw it too... I thought I was going crazy." Leia replied. Matt shrugged.

"I haven't seen anything. We should really hurry... Hacker's already reached the castle." he said and turned to walk. Inez nodded and followed.

"Yeah, we don't have time for distractions..." she said. Everyone shook off what they had seen and followed. While walking, they continued to see the figures just out of the corners of their eyes. They all knew it was better not to stop though... or even think about it at that. Some things were just better left under a rug. Only a little further and they were at the foot of the bridge leading up to the castle doors. They stopped, peering up at the great wonder before them... the castle certainly was intimidating. It took a moment but once again, Leia was the first to lead them up the stairs.

"We don't need to waste anymore time guys. C'mon..." she said. No one replied. They made their way up the stairs, arriving at the bridge. There, they saw Buzz and Delete sitting against the side of the bridge. They were still sunken down, caught in a flurry of confusion, a mental tornado. The kids and Digit rushed to reach them, but stopped shortly before the two henchmen.

"What..." was all Inez could get out before being overcome by the invisible presence. Everyone looked at each other, lost. They were dwindling precious time.

"We've got to get out of here..." Jackie whispered to herself, for the crashing of the waterfall preventing any means of audible communication. Digit though seemed to read her mind, as he was already turning around to leave the bridge. Leia snapped out of the comotose state and quickly jumped into Digit path.

"Where are you going?!" she yelled. Digit shrugged.

"I can't stay here anymore." he said back, but couldn't be heard. Leia knew what he said though.

"Everyone, let's get Buzz and Delete and get off the bridge. We have to make a plan." she yelled at everyone. They slowly roused themselves up to the task, everyone teaming up to carry the remains of Buzz and Delete down the stairs. At the foot of the flight, they were now about to hear each other.

"Buzz, Delete! Are you guys okay?" Jackie asked the two. They came to, standing up on their feet and shaking themselves clean of the cloud.

"We're fine. It's just really weird here." Delete replied. Buzz nodded.

"Yeah, we got onto the bridge and the next thing we knew, it was like we were hypnotized." he said. Matt raised an eyebrow.

"Really? So where's Hacker?" he asked. Delete shrugged.

"I think he went into the castle. I remember he said he didn't need us anymo- wait..." Delete said, intertupting himself as he realized exactly what he was saying.

"DeeDee... do you think the boss is okay?" Buzz asked. Delete looked unsure and shrugged, worrying Buzz.

"Why is he here? What's in the castle?" Leia asked, bending down at Buzz's level.

"There's something called the Demon Heart here... and the boss thinks it's in the castle. I don't think he should be in there though..." Buzz said, turning around to look at the castle.

"Why not?" Jackie asked. Buzz shrugged.

"I don't know... but there's something bad in the castle. There's something bad about this whole place..." Buzz replied. Delete lowered himself onto the ground and brought his knees up to his chest.

"I'm really worried about the Hacker..." he said. Everyone grew quiet. Honestly... everyone wanted to go home. They wanted to forget about this place. Everything about this place made them curl up inside. Leia rose and turned towards the castle.

"I'm... kinda worried too Delete." she said to the suprise of her comrades.

"Why are you worried about Hacker? He got himself into this mess... he can get himself out!" Digit said almost in disgust.

"Yeah, really... I mean, he's the bad guy, Leia." Jackie said. The other made remarks under their breath. Leia turned to them with disbelief.

"What's wrong with you people? Yeah.. he's the bad guy, but we're the good guys! Therefore... we do the right thing... no matter what." she responded. Inez rolled her eyes.

"Completely illogical." she said. Leia crossed her arms and sighed.

"Whatever, guys. Forget this... I don't have time to waste bickering with yall." she said and turned, making her way back up the bridge. Digit flew up to her, stopping her from proceeding.

"You're going in there alone?!" he asked. Leia nodded.

"Yeah... it's just a scary castle. Really... what can heppen?" she said. Matt ran up behind her, grabbing her arm.

"You can't go in there! I won't let you!" Matt said.

"Why not?" Leia asked, suprised.

"Something's in there. You saw what kind of state Buzz and Delete were in when we got here. You might get hurt..." Matt trailed off. Leia frowned, giving Matt a glare.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to sit around the campfire with you all day roasting marshmellows while Hacker conquers Cyberspace." she replied. Matt lowered his hand and turned back down the stairs.

"You don't even know what fear is." he said, barely audible. Leia froze.

"What's that supposed to mean."

"You've only been awake about six months. You don't know what fear is." Matt said. That hit a nerve.

"Shut the Hell up." Leia said. Matt looked back up at her.

"I know what fear is. I feel it right now... the same thing you guys feel." she said. Jackie ran up to Matt, pulling him off the stairs.

"C'mon... Leia, you can go it alone. Let's look for another entrance. Maybe there's a way to get straight to the top." she said. Leia nodded.

"Yeah! We could use the Grim Wreaker!" Digit said. Buzz and Delete looked at each other worried.

"Um... the boss might get angry..." Buzz said.

"If we don't hurry then you'll have alot more things to worry about." Inez said. Everyone agreed that taking the Wreaker would be the best decision. Leia parted from her allies and both parties went their own way, hoping that they weren't too late.

Standing at the open door of the castle, Leia paused... somewhat regretting her decision. She had a job to do though... rather, she had a duty. Dr. Marbles was the one that found her and took care of her. He raised her basically. Motherboard had always been there when she needed someone to talk to, despite the fact that she was so busy taking care of Cyberspace. They meant so much to her... and the fact that Hacker might wish to do them harm was fuel enough for her to press on. Somehow she would talk him out of this... somehow he would come to his sense and realize what a big mistake he was making. She stuck her head in the door, looking around. The place was barely lit by the blue fireflies, but still... she could make out most of the room. She felt tiny splashes of rain hit the portion of her body that was still outside. She pulled her head out, looking up at the breathtaking sky. Sure enough, rain was begining to fall down, almost in an omenous fashion.

"Great... there's always rain during the final battle... I hope that principle doesn't apply now." she muttered to herself. Gathering up her last bits of courage, she stepped inside. She stood there for a moment, adjusting to the darkness of the room. She walked in a little further, noticing a door off to her left. It appeared to be the only door in the room besides the entrance. She entered the doorway, and stood for a moment, confused about what her next step should be. Finally, she did what seemed to be the only logical answer.

"Hacker! Are you there?!" she yelled, without a reply. She stayed another moment and then decided it was best to continue. The fireflies did a fair job of lighting the place... all around Leia could see more statues similar to the ones in the city. Alot of these ones had weapons in their hands... it seemed that this castle was a huge battleground. There were stone tables here and there, broken rubble scattered along the floor. Bones littered the floor... apparently becoming those black statues wasn't the only thing the citizens had to fear. Death seemed to just linger in the air. Leia though... she wasn't sure what to make of it. She knew there was something strange about the place, but it only reminded her of what Matt said.

"I've only been awake six months... there are still alot of things I've got to relearn." she admitted to herself. She could use that to her advantage though... if she didn't know what to fear, then it wouldn't bother her. She continued on past the room and entered another that had a flight of stairs leading to the next floor. She stood at the foot of the stairs and looked up at the next floor.

"Hacker? Hellooooooo! Did you go up the stairs?" she yelled, still with no response. She shrugged to herself and made her way up the stairs and onto the next floor. Nearby, Hacker was also making his way through the castle... and had not made it very far due to the mental battle he was enduring. He had heard the girl yelling for him, but ignored her at first. Now though since she was catching up with him, he decided it would be best to take care of her now. In the room, he hid behind the wall next to the doorway, waiting for her to approach. Her footsteps on the stone floor indicated that she was very close.

"Hacker? Where are you? C'mon..." she trailed off. Leia feared that maybe it was too late and he had gone too far. With a long sigh, she entered the next room, unaware of the dark figured that stood at her side. Quickly, Hacker brought his arm around her torso, using the other to cup his hand over her mouth. Leia jumped in fear, gripping tightly at his arm with muffled screams. She jerked fromside to side, but Hacker only tightened his grip, almost to the point of suffocation.

"Shut up, be still and I'll let go." he whispered into her ear. With teary eyes she complied, loosening her grip on Hacker's arm but making sure not to let go. Hacker removed his hand from her mouth, turning her around to face him, gripping bother of her arms with his hands. He studied her face, noticing that she wasn't one of the usual children that pestered him. Leia just stared back, still very frightened by him.

"You're one of Motherboard's little pest, aren't you?" he asked in that voice that made you respect him, not for what he was or what he had done, but simply out of fear. She nodded.

"Um... yeah... and you're the Hacker?" she asked in return. He ignored her question and continued his own.

"How did you find out I was here? And where are those other brats?" he interrogated. Leia shrugged, causing Hacker to tighten his grip.

"Dr. Marbles told us to come here and stop you... but he didn't tell us why. We made it this far and found Buzz and Delete outside. They told us you were here after the Demon Heart... after that, the other kids and I split our ways. They're looking for another way up..." she spilled, disappointing herself. Hacker loosened his grip at her answer and smiled devilishly.

"Good girl." he laughed and grabbed her wrist. He began to walk ahead, tugging at her to follow.

"Oh... so, you want me to follow you then?" she asked softly. Hacker rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Yes. Anymore brilliant questions?" he asked sarcastically, with the most punctual roll of his r's. Leia shook her head.

"Um, no... sorry." she simply replied, quickly growing tired of Hacker attitude. She followed his lead as they continued on their way through the castle.

Out in the city, the party of Jackie, Matt, Inez, Digit, Buzz and Delete were quickly making their way to the Grim Wreaker.

"Matt... what do you think will happen if Hacker gets his hands on the... Demon Heart?" Inez asked. Matt shrugged.

"I don't know. We don't know what it does or what he can do with it. We just have to stop him." he replied. Delete was hunched over in his walk, still very worried about his employer.

"I hope he doesn't get it." he simply said. Everyone looked at him in suprise.

"Why? You're supposed to be his lackey! Why do you hope he doesn't succeed?" Jackie asked him. Delete shook his head.

"The boss can be mean sometimes, but he really means alot to us. And the way he looked back there... it really scared me. If he gets the Demon Heart, I don't think he'll be the same person anymore." he said. Buzz shrugged is response.

"Yeah, I know what you mean DeeDee. Maybe he'll change his mind and we can all go home." he said. Both were genuinely concerned for the man they had known as their creator.

"I doubt that. If Hacker thinks he can get his hands on power, he'll try to get it until his last breath." Digit said without regard for Buzz and Delete's feelings. They continued on in silence, each asking themselves so many different questions that had no answers. Finally, they reached the Grim Wreaker and prepared to reach the top of the castle. Such a feeling of dread and worry had overcome them... maybe is was the fact that they feared Hacker's intent, or perhaps it was that they knew they were stepping into unknown territory. They didn't know what lied ahead... they were simply stepping out into the dark. 


	6. Chapter 6

Inside the castle, Hacker and Leia quietly made their way up to the next story, not speaking to each other. Leia hated these awkward moments. She dug through her mind, looking for some kind of conversation starter. No matter how hard she thought though, the dark individual before her was just so intimidating. Gathering up the nerve, she finally got a few words out.

"Soooo... Hacker?" she asked, hoping to get a response.

"Yes?" he replied, no even bothering to turn around. The continued walking at a steady pace.

"Do you know what happened here? In this city?" she asked. Hacker paused for a moment, turning around to look at her.

"A great war. It ripped the cite apart, basically destroying all life." he replied. He let go of her wrist, bending down to look more closely at her.

"Your voice sounds very familiar. What's your name?" he asked, much to Leia's suprise.

"My name's Leia... nice to meet you!" she said with a smile and put her hand out for a handshake. Hacker simply cocked his eyebrow and shook his head.

"No... nevermind. I must have confused you with someone else." he said, ignoring her offering. He turned back around and continued walking.

"Wait... someone else? Who?" she asked, catching up with him.

"None of your business." he simply replied. Leia knew better than to smart off at him in return, so she just pressed on.

"Well, you might know someone I know! See... I don't really know who I am. Wait... that sounded crazy." she said, mixing herself up.

"You don't know who you are? What kind of illogical statement is that?" he said to her.

"I mean, I just came out of a coma and I can't remember anything. So maybe you know something I don't!" she replied, ignoring how crazy she sounded. Hacker shook his head.

"Just drop it and come on. I didn't come here to carry on a conversation with you." he said to her dissappointment. Leia gave a long sigh and hung her head.

"Okay. Sorry again." she said back. They continued on in silence, reaching the next story. Hacker didn't want to admit it, but having company actually made the climb up the castle a little easier. After leaving the room with the flight of stairs, they entered a room that was just like the other ones. As they made their way through about half of the room, a panel came down, closing off the door behind them. The two instantly turned around to investigate.

"What's going on?" Leia asked as she and Hacker made their way to the closed off the door. Hacker bent down and looked closely at the panel.

"My guess is a trap. Watch out for anything out of the ordinary." he replied. Leia was worried... but not much since she was with Hacker. There was something about being with an evil genius that made you feel safe... besides the fact that you had to watch out for them. Hacker stood up and turned around.

"There's no point is staying here. Let's go." he began to walk, motioning for Leia to follow. She quickly ran to his side, not wanting to be left alone in the room.

"You're the boss! I just hope there aren't any flaming arrows, giant boulders and poisonous gas." she replied. They got to the doorway of the next room and Hacker paused, causing Leia to do the same.

"I don't think you have to worry about those things." he said quietly. Leia looked up at him confused and then back into the next room.

"Why? Do you see something?" she replied. Without a word Hacker nodded, and pointed straight ahead. Leia's gaze followed his finger. There, in the darkness, she could barely make out a large figure. Leia's stomach sank and she grabbed at Hacker's arm.

"Oh God... so... do you have a plan?" before Hacker could reply, a set of red eyes emerge from the figure. Hacker took a step back as Leia dropped his arm. A low growl was heard from the dark as the figure rose, apparently standing now. Off in the distance, they could hear the sound of the door behind the figure closing.

"Um... Hacker... what do we do?" Leia asked as they continued backing up. Finally Hacker paused and thought for a split second. His thinking though, was interrupted by the figure's loud, echoing roar. It entered the room they were in, slowly walking up to Hacker and Leia, standing several feet above Hacker.

"A... minotaur..." Hacker softly said. The creature bent down, face to face with Hacker, and let out a bone shaking roar. Hacker grabbed Leia's arm and stepped back.

"Leia... RUN!" he yelled and took off to the left of the minotaur, just in time to avoid a swing from the creature. Leia followed Hacker as he still kept a grip on her arm, trying hard to keep up with him. They made their way to the next room as the minotaur slowly followed.

"Split up. It'll give us more time to figure out something." Hacker whispered to Leia. She nodded and left his side, proceeding to the other side of the room. As the minotaur approached Hacker, Leia picked up a rock from the ground, throwing at the minotaur.

"C'mon! Come get me! Yoo-hooooo!" she yelled at the beast. The minotaur turned around to face Leia and ran after her. Leia was suprised by the sudden speed of the minotaur.

"Oh... crap!" she yelled just as she avoided the minotaur, causing it to crash into the wall behind her. The minotaur stood up and shook his head, giving a growl. Leia ran from the minotaur, back to Hacker.

"I'm gonna make him chase me. Just promise me you're going to make a plan or something soon!" she said to Hacker. Hacker nodded in response.

"I will. I just need a few minutes." he said. Leia nodded and took off again as the minotaur ran after her. Hacker walked over to the panel nearby closing the exit, looking for someway to get through.

"There's got to be something here to open it..." he said to himself. Nearby, Leia continued leading the minotaur to next room. She turned around and immediately ducked just as the minotaur swung at her. She hadn't realized how close it was.

"Alright, c'mon you big bull..." she mocked at it. The beast rushed it head forward, trying to ram Leia with it's horns. Leia ducked though and ran through the middle of it's legs. The beast turned around and rushed after her once again. Leia jumped back, knocking herself against a wall. She fell to the floor but quickly got up as the minotaur lifted it's leg in an attempt to crush her. She darted off to the side, but the minotaur closed in, swinging it's fist. She barely avoided the swings, but immediately ran into another wall. She turned around in time to see the minotaur rush it's head forward, it's horns on either side of her body, pinning her against the wall.

"Hacker! I need some help here!!!" she screamed. The minotaur swung a fist at her, hitting her in the stomach. Leia grunted in pain, holding herself. Just as the minotaur was about to swing again, it let out a horrible scream, pulling it's head back. Leia quickly got away as the minotaur turned around. There in front of the minotaur was Hacker with a sword covered in the creature's blood.

"Was I late?" he asked, backing up. Leia let out a laugh.

"Just a little..." she said. Hacker backed up as the beast swung at him several time. He dodged the swings, slashing at it whenever he could find the opportunity. As Hacker was closing in to attack the minotaur, it managed to hit him square in the face. Hacker let out something close to a grunt and backed up, somewhat dissoriented. Leia, seeing what had happened, ran up to the minotaur from behind and jumped into it's back.

"Get 'em Hacker! He's all your's!" she yelled. Hacker shook the dizziness off and stabbed at the creature several time. The minotaur moaned loudly, shaking back and forth, trying to get Leia off. Finally, with a muster of strenght, it lunged forward, sending Leia flying across the room and hittng the nearby wall. Without a sound she fell to the floor, not moving. The minotaur ignored Hacker and ran over to Leia with a roar. As the creature lifted it's leg over her head, she just laid there, barely opening her eyes. Just as it's foot was about to come down to crush her, Hacker began stabbing the beast in the back, piercing it several times. It slowly turned around, losing strenght due to lost blood. Hacker kept stabbing and slashing though, despite it's advances towards him. Finally, the beast fell to it's knees, landing in a pool of it's own blood. With a final swing, Hacker plunged the sword into the minotaur's head, causing it to let out a low, pathetic moan. Hacker backed up as the minotaur fully collapsed onto the floor, letting out what little life remained. Hacker looked over to Leia, who wasn't moving. He ran over and bent down to check on her.

"Hey, kid, get up." he said, using her hand to shake her shoulder. She moaned with eyes half open and slowly shook her head.

"What... happened?" she asked looking up at him. He let out something close to a laugh and, putting her arm around his neck, lifter her up to her feet.

"The impact must have knocked the wind out of you. Is everything alright? Anything broken?" he asked as she tried to stand on her own. She was about to fall back down when Hacker caught her and held her upright. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the dizziness.

"Heh-heh... my hero! I'm fine though... just a little dizzy is all." she said, now able to stand without falling. Hacker nodded and patted her on the back, causing her to cough.

"Good... we really should be on our way. We've wasted far too much time." he said. He turned and began to walk, motioning for her to follow. Leia, still disoriented and confused, simply followed without a word as they passed by the carcus of the huge minotaur. The newborn had already experienced, in these past few hours, more emotions than she had ever experienced in her six months of living. Fear, anger, compassion, dread and so much more. What else awaited her, she couldn't help but wonder. What could possibly be the outcome of all this? That would be revealed in just the moments to come, for she didn't realize that the deciding factor of her life walked alongside her throughout the castle walls. 


	7. Chapter 7

Outside of the castle, the Grim Wreaker slowly made it's way towards the structure. Here, they had a full view of the dead castle's strange, gothic beauty. The waterfall that fell through the center of the castle came from the mountain range that stood behind the city. The water poured from a carving in the mountain that appeared to be the shape of a dragon's head. The mountain range itself almost seemed to represent a set of wings, giving a chilly atmosphere to what remained of the city. No one said much during the flight. Everyone just kept their thoughts to themselves, wishing the best of the situation. Digit lowered the Wreaker in slowly to the castle, allowing the ship to hover just along the side of it.

"This is it everyone." he said solemnly. He lowered the back ramp of the Wreaker, resting it on the roof of the castle. It felt almost as though they were at a funeral. No words could be spoken... and the only thoughts in their heads were deeply grave. What if... Hacker actually won? What would happed to them? What would happen to Cyberspace? So many questions... but no answers despite how hard the searched their minds. The party of six made their way to the roof of the castle, walking down the ramp of the Wreaker. Up here, the waterfall wasn't so loud. It was the crashing down below that created such a deafening sound. The surface of the castle was completely flat beside the texture of the stone used to build it. On the otherside of the castle, a stairwell could be seen. Should they go down and hunt for Hacker and Leia?

"So what now?" Delete inevitably asked. No one really knew. Matt scratched his head and shrugged.

"Well... we either go down there... or wait it out here." he said. Everyone remained silent, pondering their next move. Finally Jackie spoke up.

"Maybe we should just stay here. I mean, if we go down there, we might miss Hacker and Leia." she said. Inez nodded and stepped forward.

"That's right. Besides, they're going to make their way here anyway. We might as well stay put and be prepared for whatever may happen." Inez agreed. They all knew it was just an excuse... but still, to the mind, an excuse is the comfort zone. Everyone seemed to agree with that decision, as they just kind of nodded, muttering words under their breath. Thus, Jackie paced, Inez stood on her head and Matt played with his yo-yo. Buzz and Delete just sat on the stone in front of the waterfall, fretting over what might come of their boss. Digit sat down as well, taking off his hat to wipe off beads of sweat. Minutes passed by... oh so very slowly. Suddenly, in the midst of the waterfall, a figure could be seen emerging. Digit was the first one to notice, as he just stared wide eyed in it's direction with mere stuttering coming from his mouth.

"Digit! What's wro-" Jackie asked, then suddenly realizing what he was staring at. Delete and Buzz jumped up and looked behind them into the waterfall, taking notice of the figure slowly coming out. They both ran towards the kids, screaming in horror. The others didn't budge however. They stood their ground, waiting for the person... or whatever it was... to make itself known, quite possibly being the first brave thing they had done today. There, in the waterfall, the being's head emerged... it looked human. The rest of it's body followed from the watery barrier, revealing what appeared to be an angel. Silver-blond hair draped down the man's chiseled chest, a set of beautiful white wings stretching as though being awakened from an eon's slumber. His deep blue eyes peered at the children, his face revealing no emotion. Everyone found themselves at a lost for words.

"Don't worry... I'm not here to harm you." his angelic voice sang. They still remained frozen, half in fear, half in marvel. He walked his way calmly towards the huddled group, graceful in every step. The children, Digit and Hacker's lackeys found a sudden peace overcome them- their muscles eased, their hearts slowed down and their souls seemed to melt into the angel's every action. He approached Matt and slowly brought a hand to his shoulder.

"I need everyone to listen to me. If you don't, life in this world as we know it will fail to exist." he said, looking about at his audience. Everyone found themselves breathing regularly once again, despite the warning that the being gave them. In a place like this, it helped very much to have someone on your side... somone who seemed to know exactly what was happening.

"There's so many questions." Matt admitted to the being. With a warm smile, he nodded. Removing his hand from Matt's shoulder, he turned towards the waterfall.

"Indeed there is. An unanswered question is by far the worse kind. I will explain everything." he said to the youth. He stretched out a hand towards the waterfall and instantly the water turned black. In the dark of the water, images began to form, almost as though a movie were being projected onto the waterfall. With a wave of his hand, the angel beckoned the party forward.

"Come. I want to show you something." he said as everyone drew in closer. There, in the darkness, a great white light appeared, casting out onto the children, causing them to shade their eyes.

"You see... before any of you existed... before existance itself existed... there was simply Space. Raw Space with no sense of time or direction, chaotic in it's every way. Admidst the chaos though there was a faint hope that what seemed to be useless and unfruitful could perhaps be used for good. Just as with humaity, the fabric of Space was given a chance to have a purpose. Thus, life was given to the lifeless, purpose to the purposeless. Space willfully gave itself over to the hands of the great Creator, allowing itself to be shaped according to It's plan." the angel explained as the images unfolded before the audience.They reamined speechless at what was being revealed to them.

"At the dropping of a pin, a great boom took place. Dimensions were molded, energy ignited for the flaming of stars and life... the great miracle of life began it's slow evolution. The angels watched from the great balcony as the Creator shaped out what would be known as the stage for life. There was one angel however that coveted that power and the authority that our Master possesed. Lucifer... the most beautiful creation, wise in all his ways, the one that walked atop the great mountain alongside the Creator betrayed the very being that loved him so dearly." a crack was heard in his voice, revealing the pain that still remained from the event. He continued despite this.

"A revolution was set forth... a coup d'etat. Alliances were made, battle fronts formed and Heaven was thrown into chaos. Lucifer confronted our Creator, claiming that he should be the ruler of total existance, that he was more perfect than the Creator. The Most High denied him however and, with a heavy heart, threw the great deciever and his followers down to the lowest level of Space. As Lucifer fell through the dimensions that separated Heaven from Hell, his heart began to bleed as he underwent the tranformation from his former glory to the king of demons that he is today. On each of the dimensions, a drop of his blood was left, crystalizing over time... thus becoming the Demon Heart that you know of." he said as the audience continued to watch intently.

"The Demon Heart, as you call it, is somewhat a gateway of the soul. It seeks out beings who resemble it's owner... those whose hearts are full of deceit and betrayal. In this case it sought out the Hacker. It's gives the reciever access to the dark powers of Satan himself... but at a cost. Slowly, the being loses touch of his soul. His will is taken over and eventually he no longer exist. He simply becomes the shell of a greater power." the angel spoke this last part softly... almost with sympathy. He turned around and began to walk towards the edge of the castle. The party followed almost in a hypnotic trance. The angel stood at the edge of the city, it's arms outstretched.

"This city is what remains of an ancient civilizations. The Xelophians were once a peace-loving people... until one day a man with a dark heart sought out the throne of the king. The Demon Heat beckoned for him, teased him with the taste of power. When the man took possesion of the Demon Heart, the shadow of Satan was at his disposal, a powerful force that would follow his every whim. He started a great battle here in Xelophia... those that feared his power sided with him. Those that stood their ground... their remains are scattered about the city, warding off anyone that might step foot here. Quickly the man seized control of the empire, but at the severe cost of losing himself. Over time... he lost touch with himself. He no longer existed... he was just a shell. Now all that reamined was a doppleganger of the Dark Lord. With an iron fist he killed and slaughtered anyone that stood in his way. There seemed to be no hope in sight for what remained of Xelophia... that is until one day, I was called... awakened from my slumber." at this the angel looked down into his hands, reflecting on the past.

"I was once a Xelophian myself, until I was choosen to serve a higher purpose. My fleshly body was discarded for what lies before you... and was transform from flesh to spirit. Wielding the Slayer sword handed down from Heaven itself, the benevolent king and I battled fiecely. Through much bloodshed, the darkness was defeated and the shadow of the beast was cast back into the cage of the Demon Heart. Ever since then, I have remained here, guarding it in the depths of the waterfall." he lowered his head and turned towards the children. Inez stepped forward, asking a question.

"You mean... you defeated the wielder of the Demon Heart... but it still exist? How?" she asked. With this the angel gave a long sigh and rubbed his brow.

"The shadow has a way of protecting itself. It cowers in the shell of the possessor. As long as it remains inside the being, it is invulnernable. When I slayed the being, I only defeated the physical part of him. Whenever the shadow feels that it's host is threatened, it will leave the body... either returning to the Demon Heart or, if it feels that it can maintain itself outside of the possessor, continue existing alongside us. In this case, whenever the host was drawing it's last breaths, the shadow retreated into the Demon Heart." the angel replied.

"You mean... if Hacker gets the Demon Heart, we have to... kill him?" Matt asked, his voice somewhat shaky. Buzz and Delete looked at each other in fear of what may come. The angel lowered his head and crossed his arms.

"Possibly... it would be very hard to trick the shadow into leaving it's host without killing him. Other than that... it's a little more complicated. Only an angel wielding the Slayer sword can defeat the shadow of Satan. You mortals couldn't even harm a hair on it's head." he said.

"But... you can do it! You're an angel and you defeated the last one, right?" Jackie said stepping forth. The angel shook his head solemnly.

"You see... if the Hacker should gain possession of the Demon Heart, then I won't be able to challenge him. There is an individual selected for each possessor. It's almost as though they are the only ones compatible. Just as I was the only one compatible with the last possessor, there is another that is chosen if the Hacker gets the Demon Heart. If this should happen... you must find the angel that is sent. You must find them and bring them here to meet me, so that I may grant them the Slayer sword used to defeat the darkness." the angel replied. He looked down on the audience... all wondering the same question. Finally Digit spoke up.

"So where do we find the angel? He could be anywhere!" he said. The others nodded in agreement.

"Well... the angel can be either male or female. You will run into them... but you must keep your eyes open. Be alert and be prepared, for your paths are destined to cross." the angel replied. Delete sighed heavily... the idea of him loosing Hacker was unsettling at the least.

"I'm not helping... not if you're going to hurt Hacker." he said softly.

"Yeah, DeeDee's right. He's our boss and we ain't helpin'..." Buzz said in return. Matt and Digit grew angry by their statement.

"Guys! I don't think you realize what the man is saying!" Digit said in frustration.

"Didge is right... this is a bigger than Hacker. This is bigger than any of us. He's about to unleash a devastating force onto Cyberspace... we don't have a choice!" he said. Jackie put a hand on Matt's shoulder, signaling for him to calm down.

"Buzz... Delete... there's always the chance that, if he gets the Demon Heart, then we may be able to spare him. It's just going to be hard." she said calmly. Matt crossed his arms and jerked away from Jackie.

"I can't believe this. Even if we could save Hacker, he would just start more trouble after this blows over. I say it's best-" before he could get another word out, Inez put her hand over his mouth.

"Matt... not a smart choice of words." she said. She lowered her hand and walked over to Buzz and Delete.

"All we can do is try, guys." she said wamly to them. Jackie walked over as well and put a hand on Delete's shoulder.

"Yeah! We'll try our hardest. Doing away with him will be the last option." Jackie said. Delete lowered his head and sighed. Buzz looked up at him, both contemplating what to do.

"Promise?" Delete said, bringing his head up to look at Jackie. Jackie simply nodded. With a heavy heart, he forced a smile.

"I... I'll help." he said. Delete looked down at his brother, the expression on his face asking what his move would be.

"I guess... I can help too." he managed to get out. The angel nodded at their agreement and stepped towards them.

"It is best that everyone of you work together, despite your differences. When tragedy strikes, it has the power to unite everyone for the greater good." he said to them. No one replied though... past the slight smiles on their faces, past the anger that presented itself... and past the concern that was shown... their hearts were all equally burdened. They were at a fork in the road. If the Hacker came to his senses and walked away empty handed, life would go on as normal. However... if Hacker gained possession of the Demon Heart, their lives would forever be changed. Despite the promise that was made with Buzz and Delete, they all felt that Hacker's death was inevitable. They wanted to stop Hacker... but not like that. They didn't want to take his life. His blood would be on their hands. However... by taking one man's life, they would be saving the lives of... hundreds? Thousands? There was no answer to the question... there were too many possibilities, too many outcomes. As the gentle sprinkle of rain grew heavier, the party stood their ground, awaiting what may come. Out in the enigma, their fate awaited. 


	8. Chapter 8

Down in the depths of the castle, Hacker and Leia continued their voyage to where ever the Demon Heart lied. They trecked through dark rooms and halls with no sign of the object. During their walk, Leia remained quiet. Their previous encounter with the minotaur had left her disoriented, most likely due to the impact of being thrown against the wall. Hacker also kept to himself, for he had no interest in talking to Leia. Annoued with the silence, Leia finally spoke up.

"Hey Hacker... we make a pretty good team, huh?" she said with a smile in her voice. Hacker cocked an eyebrow and continued without a word.

"Yup... always the tough guy..." Leia muttered. She gave a sigh and crossed her arms.

"Y'know... ever since I heard about you Hacker... I couldn't help but wonder, why do you want to take over Cyberspace?" Leia asked looking up at him. Hacker looked down in return.

"Really now?" he responded. Leia just gave a nod. Hacker brought a hand up to his chin and thought for a moment.

"I suppose the best way to explain it to you would be this- Motherboard was created by Dr. Marbles to basically run Cyberspace. As he said himself, the mind of humanity is full of error. If a computer could rule, there would be no room for error. By creating Motherboard, he began a new age for Cyberspace." Hacker explained as Leia listened intently.

"As he had trouble keeping Motherboard properly maintained, I was created to be her personal technician. As I worked more and more with her, I began to fully understand what she was truly capable of. There was... and still is so much potential for her. I explained to the doctor everything I had learned over time and what Motherboard could become if we just bent the rules a little. He cast my ideas out though... his selective virtue had no room for what I invisioned. Do you understand so far?" Hacker asked looking down at the girl.

"Yeah... mostly, anyway." she said with a scratch of her head. Hacker looked back up as they carried onto the next room.

"Marbles' will is his downfall; for as Machiavelli said, 'A man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil'. If I could just get Marbles out of the way, I would have full access to her and fulfill my plans for Cyberspace. I could do so much more for Cyberspace than Marbles. Thus I began my persuit for control over her. However, my attempts were to no avail. I was cast out to the Northern Frontier for what I had done. Years later though I triumphantly returned, infecting Motherboard with a virus that left her at her current state. By doing so I have proven just how weak, feeble and vulnerable Marble's government is. Now, I continue striving after my goal, to conquer Cyberspace, to use Motherboard to her fullest extent and to recieve the adoration of the millions of citizens that desire a hard leader with an iron fist." Hacker finished. Leia looked up at him and then paused. Hacker paused a few feet in front of her and looked back.

"So... from your point of view... you're kind of a revolutionary?" she said. Hacker gave a sly smile and something close to a laugh.

"I suppose you could say that." he replied. Leia shrugged and continued on with Hacker following.

"That's... a very interesting story." she said. Hacker, with his ego being plucked, nodded.

"What did you expect?" he said in return. Leia made a slight laugh.

"Um... something along the lines of a psycho escaped from an asylum with a crazy dream about taking over Cyberspace." she said. Hacker shook his head.

"No... what exactly are they telling you at Control Central?" Hacker asked.

"Nothing really... they're very hush-hush about you. I see why now." Leia said.

"Hmph..." was all Hacker said. They continued on through the castle... they were nearing the top floor still with no sign of the Demon Heart. As they drew closer to the top, Leia's curiosity came about.

"Hacker... was there any other reason you betrayed the doctor?" Leia asked him. Hacker gave a scowl in her direction.

"I think you should keep your nose out of things bigger than you." he simply said. Leia gave a deep sigh of frustration.

"You don't have to say it like that... I'm just saying... I don't think you're giving me the whole story." Leia said. Hacker shook his head.

"It doesn't matter what I give you. In case you forgot, once I get the Demon Heart, you won't be saying much period." Hacker said with an evil grin. Leia paused in shock.

"Wait... are you saying you're going to... k-k-..." she stampered out. Hacker stopped, looking back at her.

"What?" he asked impatiently. Leia shook her head, looking sympathetically at him.

"K-kill..." she got out. Hacker cocked an eyebrow and widened his eyes as he realized what she was saying. Shaking his head, he gave a laugh.

"Noooo... no, no... I, er... you know... prisoner... um, yeah..." he nervously got out. Leia sighed with relief and continued walking.

"You should really work on your communiation skills Hacker..." she said with a laugh. They continued on to the next floor but were soon met with a dilemma. In the next room, a flight of stairs led to the outside, most likely the roof of the castle. Hacker and Leia slowly made their way to the staircase and looked up to the sky above them.

"Huh... no Demon Heart." Leia muttered. Hacker looked around them, scratching his head. With a low growl, his curled his fists.

"No... it has to be somewhere around here! I know it... I can FEEL it!" he said. Leia crossed her arms and looked down as Hacker ran about the room, searching for any sign of the Demon Heart. With no trace of the crystal, he returned to the bottom of the stairwell.

"I suppose the only option is up." Hacker said. Leia nodded and looked up at the opening in the ceiling.

"I guess so..." she said. Hacker began his advance up the stairwell first, with Leia not far behind. They slowly made the climb up the winding flight of stone stairs... the light of the outside was very refreshing compared to the damp dim castle corridors. They neared the top of the stairs... just a few more steps. The rain from the outside poured in through the opening. As Hacker reached the top, he looked around... the roof of the castle... the waterfall... and his adversaries.

"YOU!" Hacker yelled in suprise when he noticed the kids, Digit and his lackies. Leia came up, standing next to Hacker, relieved that the party had already made it to the castle. Emotions swarmed everyone- fear, anger, anticipation. The angel backed up from crowd that had gathered, his body slowly becoming transparent from being brought to life once again.

"Children! Everyone! This is your final chance to stop him before it's too late." he yelled through the rain and wind that grazed the roof. Hacker scowled in their direction, giving a slight laugh. He slowly advanced towards them. He could feel something deep within him... something larger, something darker than himself. Fear quivered throughout him, but this presence within him beckoned, calling out for him, giving him a newfound strength like no other.

"You... think you can stop me? You measily children and this tin turkey?!" he laughed. There was a look in his eyes... a look as though something had overcome him. Leia stayed back, contemplating what to do. The kids were at a loss for words, but determination was written on their faces. They stood their ground, prepared to give their all. Buzz and Delete stepped back, their courage quickly draining at the menacing sight of the Hacker. If he wasn't stopped now... he paused several feet from the children with a demented grin.

"Buzz... Delete... have you betrayed me? Your creator?" he questioned them. They couldn't reply, for fear had them at the throat. Hacker gave a cold laugh as he continued his advance. What was left of the angel grunted and gave Hacker a fierce stare.

"Hacker... listen to me! You have to stop this now!" he yelled. Hacker paused, turning his head slightly to reflect the angel's stare.

"I can't stop now... not when I'm this close... I can feel it." Hacker said softly. Leia shook off what fear she had and quickly ran to Hacker side. Looking at his face, she could immediately see a difference- this wasn't Hacker.

"Hacker, stop it! Please..." she said grabbing his hand and tugging at it. Hacker looked down at her in disgust. Quickly he reached out and grabbed Leia by the throat. Leia wrapped her hands tightly around Hacker's wrist, struggling to breathe. With a sadistic laugh, he lifted her into the air by the throat. The kids watched on in horror... they had to do something fast.

"Children nowadays... you simply don't know your manners do you?" he said, bringing her face to his and tightening his grip on Leia. She kicked her legs about, squirming, trying to get out of Hacker grasp. Matt gave a low growl, stepping forward.

"Hacker! Drop her NOW!" he yelled. Hacker turned his head towards Matt with a grin.

"Little boy, don't even try it..." he replied. Leia gasped desperately, but Hacker's grip prevented her from breathing.

"Matt... we have to stop him." Jackie said stepping next to him. Inez followed, along with Digit. What were they doing? The same thoughts filled all their minds. Could this really be it? The final encounter with Hacker? Would he win? Ignoring the questions that plagued their minds, they pressed forward undaunted.

"Let's do this." the cyboid said. Hacker chuckled as the four approached him. Fear filled their innermost being, but they knew they couldn't back down. Not now...

"So, children... I guess it's time we finish this once and for all..." Hacker said, and with that he threw Leia down to the ground with a thud. She coughed as she felt air fill her lungs once again. Hacker walked towards the four, meeting them in front of the waterfall. The angel stood nearby, watching the events fold out before him, knowing that he had to leave it in their hands. Buzz and Delete looked at each other, trying to figure out what they could do to help, yet their fear of Hacker prevented them from stepping forward. However, an idea came to Buzz.

"Hey Digit, kids!" he yelled at the group. They turned their heads to face Buzz.

"We'll have the Wreaker ready to go. If you need to get out..." he trailed off. Matt nodded his head and they turned back towards their nemesis. Buzz and Delete ran into the Grim Wreaker, preparing to depart should the kids and Digit need to escape. Hacker glared down at the four, a darkness filling his very being. Part of him screamed out, begging himself to turn back, to leave as fast as possible. The demented whispers of the Demon Heart though were stronger. A war broke out in his mind, but Hacker had already lost. He lost the war the minute he stepped foot on the soil of Xelophia. Now the only will that remained was the will of the Demon Heart, waiting to inhabit it's host. His cold eyes were set on the ones before him as he could feel a bloodthirst rise within him. Matt, Jackie, Inez and Digit returned glares. Matt had always had a set opinion on Hacker- he was evil. To him, there was no grey area, no in between... you were either good or evil. Hacker had cause so much trouble without regard for anyone around him. He carelessly put lives at risk. He betrayed Motherboard and Dr. Marbles... Hacker was no good. He needed to be put out for good. Matt could feel a strenght rising up within him that he had never felt before. Jackie couldn't believe what it was coming down to. How could this possibly be happening? She had given Hacker the benefit of the doubt many times before, for somewhere inside her she wished that Hacker would come to his senses and return to Motherboard's side. Her high hopes however were shattered time after time; lie after lie the Hacker had told, false convictions for past sins. She knew this couldn't go on anymore. Hacker had proven he didn't want to change, thus there seemed to be no other choice but the inevitable. Inez, the youngest of the children, tried hard to remain brave, though her knees shook with panic. She was just a kid, despite her rather large vocabulary. Throughout their adventures in Cyberspace, she had always held one principle as an unbreakable truth- good always won. Now though her logic was being challenged. This truth that had always protected her, this standard that had always given her uncommon optimism, was now being challenged by the very being that stood before her. This, more than anything, is what brought on the fear. Her childish innocence was being torn apart right before her. As Leia rose to her feet, shaking off the impact of being thrown down, she could feel such an immense dread fill her. This Hacker that stood before her was not the one that walked the castle floors with her. She could sense something else admist... a darker force than anything she could imagine. It wasn't the Hacker that brought fear unto her- it was that darkness that challenged her light. She didn't believe that Hacker was evil, for in her opinion there was only one being that could be pure evil, just as there was one being that was pure good. Thus, there was always hope, and nothing could ever change her mind on that. With that hope in hand, she was prepared to do anything to save Hacker from the evil that gripped him at the throat, even at the cost of her own life. Hacker sneered down at the ones before him... or rather, what appeared to be Hacker. Deep inside though he felt as though he was at his own funeral. He screamed out, he cried out, but to no avail. He saw his life flashing before his eyes; feelings of sadness, anger, happiness, love, fear, hope... but most of all... regret. What little light that remained in the Hacker flickered quietly in the darkness like a candle in the wind, it's very life being threatened, the possibility of survival dimming every second. The shell that remained looked on, prepared to destroy the threats before him. The rain pelted on, the wind blew fiercely as good and evil met on the battlefield. From here on out, thier lives would never be the same. 


End file.
